United Nations Reform:
Improving Peace Operations by
Advancing the Role of Women
Sponsored by the Stanley Foundation
in cooperation with Women in International Security
November 14, 2006 – New York
November 16, 2006 – Washington, DC
Introduction
In November 2006, over 75 experts gathered in New York and Washington
to discuss “United Nations Reform: Improving Peace Operations by
Advancing the Role of Women.” Convened by the Stanley Foundation and
Women in International Security (WIIS), practitioners and policymakers
from various United Nations agencies, national governments and militaries,
academia, and civil society groups identified barriers to women’s advancement and generated concrete ways to improve the recruitment and selection
of women for peace operations as heads of mission, military personnel,
civilian police, and international and national staff.
Understanding
of the added
value of women’s
knowledge and
experiences is
growing within
the UN system
and beyond, yet
implementation
of existing
mandates is
sporadic.
Incoming Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and UN member states are faced
with an ever-increasing demand for multidimensional peacekeeping.
Deployment reached a “historic high” in October 2006, which was described
by Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping Operations Jean-Marie
Guéhenno as “unprecedented growth.”1 To respond appropriately to the
growing need for stabilization operations, experts at the meetings recognized
the need to draw upon a wide variety of personnel with diverse skills and
expertise, including women, who can provide critical leadership in peace
operations and post-conflict reconstruction.
On numerous occasions, the United Nations has committed itself to
achieving 50/50 gender balance throughout the organization.2 Indeed,
understanding of the added value of women’s knowledge and experiences
is growing within the UN system and beyond, yet implementation of existing mandates is sporadic. Furthermore, the pockets of activity and
momentum are rarely connected, as UN agencies, member states, and civil
society are frequently operating in parallel structures and forums. The
New York and Washington sessions brought diverse actors together to
bridge the knowledge gap, maximize efforts, and jointly strategize on next
steps to enhance women’s numbers and role in peace operations.
Improving Peace Operations: Why Women?
In recent years, various international commitments and declarations have
been adopted that recognize the importance of women’s participation in all
aspects of peace processes. Chief among them is UN Security Council
Resolution 1325, a landmark document adopted in 2000 after intense advocacy by women’s networks and civil society. It calls upon member states and
all parties to take action in four areas: (1) to promote the participation of
women in decision-making and peace processes, (2) to integrate gender perspectives and training in peacekeeping, (3) to protect women in armed conflict, and (4) to mainstream gender issues in UN reporting systems and
programs related to conflict and peacebuilding.
The rapporteur, Camille Pampell Conaway, prepared this report following these meetings. It contains her interpretation of the proceedings and is not merely a descriptive, chronological account.
Participants neither reviewed nor approved the report. Therefore, it should not be assumed that
every participant subscribes to all recommendations, observations, and conclusions.
2
In the six years since the passage of Resolution 1325, various advancements
have been made by the Department for Peacekeeping Operations (DPKO)
and other UN agencies to implement its mandates. In October 2004, a gender resource package was created for all staff in peace operations—both
men and women, including military personnel and police.3 Within DPKO, a
gender adviser was appointed at headquarters in 2003, and the number of
gender advisers and gender units in field missions has also increased. Of the
18 UN peace operations in progress as of October 2005, gender advisers or
units had been established in 10 missions, and an additional 6 missions had
gender focal points.4
In late 2006, DPKO disseminated a policy directive on Gender Equality in
UN Peacekeeping Operations that reiterates the necessity of increasing
women’s civilian and military roles in field missions.5 DPKO also released a
Global Action Plan on 1325 that includes the increased participation of
women in peacekeeping as a priority for the agency.6 At the same time, UN
member states are developing national action plans for the implementation
of Resolution 1325, which include increased recruitment of women for
peace operations.7
However, critics continue to point out the slow and ad hoc nature of these
efforts. Despite repeated mandates and policy commitments—and these initial actions just described—little progress has been made to actually increase
the numbers of women in peace operations. Statistics illustrate the implementation gap:
• There are zero female heads of mission (out of 18 operations) and only
one woman deputy (Afghanistan).
• Only 1 percent of military personnel are women (of 70,960 total troops).
• Just 4 percent of police forces are women (of 8,482 total police).
• Approximately 30 percent of international civilian staff are women (of
4,568 total)—a number that decreases to 10 percent in management positions at the D-1 level or above.
The complexity
of...peace
operations
requires the
expertise and
knowledge of
both men
and women,
particularly...
to end sexual
exploitation
and abuse by
peacekeepers.
• Women make up 22 percent of nationally recruited civilian staff (of
8,657 total), but many are relegated to service and clerical posts at the
lowest grades.8
Yet the need for qualified peace operations personnel has never been more
pressing. Since the end of the Cold War, the number of UN peacekeeping
missions has increased by more than 400 percent, and the nature of
engagement has evolved to include peacebuilding and reconstruction assistance.9 The complexity of multidimensional peace operations requires the
expertise and knowledge of both men and women, particularly as the
United Nations seeks ways to end sexual exploitation and abuse by peacekeepers. Moreover, the current overarching reform efforts of the United
3
Nations provide a critical entry point for action in this area, as do the
ongoing development of a system-wide action plan for Resolution 1325
and the presence of a new secretary-general.
Advancing the Role of Women in Peace Operations
Despite the fact
that numerous
names of women
are proposed
internally and
externally, few
are ever
appointed.
At the New York and Washington meetings, experts convened in working
groups to discuss the recruitment and retention of women in five categories of
peacekeeping personnel: heads of mission, military personnel, civilian police,
international civilian staff, and national civilian staff.10 Participants outlined the
context and process for hiring personnel, the challenges and opportunities to
promote women, and practical recommendations for various actors, as presented in the following sections.
Heads of Mission
In the case of UN peace operations, the heads of mission are special representatives of the secretary-general (SRSGs) and their deputies (DSRSGs).
Despite Kofi Annan’s explicit commitment to gender balance throughout the
United Nations, the number of women who serve as SRSGs has actually
declined in recent months. There were two female heads of peace operations
in 2005 but none in 2006, with the exception of one DSRSG in Afghanistan.11
SRSGs are appointed positions—decided within the UN Secretariat from lists
submitted by member states in a closed selection process. Candidates are often
former ambassadors with diplomatic skills, personal gravitas, and knowledge
and experience within the UN system. Successful nominees enjoy the support of
their national government and have a good reputation within the organization.
“Inside” heads of mission candidates may have been in other UN leadership
positions, such as DSRSG, or have the support of a particular political base.
Despite the fact that numerous names of women are proposed internally
and externally, few are ever appointed. Some attribute this to the extensive
criteria the United Nations outlines for these positions, such as senior diplomatic experience, proven ability to run a complex organization (with both
military and civilian components), knowledge of UN systems, and bilingualism, among other factors. Thus it is critical that women nominees from
member states or civil society meet some—or many—of this criteria, or they
will be certainly ignored. This is a particularly pressing issue given the presence of a new secretary-general and senior management team, who will play
a critical role in future appointments.
Other challenges to women’s recruitment and appointment as SRSGs include:
• An opaque hiring process without a formal job description.
• Infrequent support by member states for women candidates, in part
because they are required for national positions.
• A lack of political will to appoint women from existing rosters of candidates despite the mandate for gender balance in leadership.
4
• A variety of competing opportunities for women with such experience.
• A reluctance by some women to accept an appointment in war-torn
countries with shifting time commitments as a result of family concerns
or obligations.
In response to these constraints, experts recommended several steps:
1. Establish a standing roster of competent women from across the globe.
Senior women already within the UN system should be identified first,
and all women candidates should be consulted to ascertain their interest
and willingness to accept such positions. The list must be compiled and
circulated in advance of any vacancy, and women should be promoted to
positions of influence, not only rank.
2. Urge the secretary-general to appoint women and further the implementation of Security Council Resolution 1325. International, national, and
local civil society groups; the Friends of 1325; and other UN member
states must work together in this effort. In the immediate future, a diverse
set of civil society organizations plans to present Ban Ki-moon with a letter and list of female nominees for SRSG positions. The secretary-general
is also encouraged to apply the 1999 Administrative Instruction: Special
Measures for the Achievement of Gender Equality throughout the
Secretariat.12
Just 1 percent
of peacekeeping
troops are
women.
3. Establish “gender literacy” as a core competency requirement for SRSGs.
Both male and female nominees should have an understanding and commitment to implement UN mandates for gender balance within the
organization and to integrate gender issues throughout post-conflict
processes in host countries.
4. Create a networking forum for women within the UN system. Encourage
mentoring between senior women and those in the junior- and mid-level
“feeder” positions.
Military Personnel
Unlike the appointment process for heads of mission, UN member states are
directly responsible for the recruitment and deployment of military personnel. The United Nations requests countries to contribute troops as required,
and states respond according to their capacity and will. In recent months,
the United Nations has begun reaching out to member states on the issue of
women’s recruitment and deployment for peace operations. Fifty-five Troop
and Police Contributing Countries (TCC/PCCs) convened in March 2006 to
discuss how to enhance the role of women as troops and civilian police in
peace operations.13 The meeting concluded that “the deployment of female
peacekeepers has become not just desirable, but an operational imperative.”14 Thus there is growing recognition of not only the mandate to include
women but how women can make the mission more effective. Yet serious
gaps remain for implementation. Key questions include how to:
5
• More effectively recruit women into national armed forces in higher
numbers.
• Make the environment of peace operations more welcoming and
rewarding for women.
• Hold member states accountable for deploying women as peacekeepers.
Even in
developed
countries...
decades of action
were required
to address
cultural and
institutional
barriers.
Most peacekeeping forces are deployed from developing countries where
there are few women in the armed forces. As of November 2006, the top
five troop-contributing countries included Pakistan (9,163), India (8,825),
Bangladesh (8,796), Jordan (2,862), and Nepal (2,357).15 Just 1 percent of
peacekeeping troops are women.16 Even when women are present, few tend
to “climb the ranks” to become officers in armed forces or peace operations. Some attribute this to the ongoing lack of gender sensitivity that continues to permeate the armed forces, which is reflected both internally
(harassment) and externally (exploitation of civilians).
Military leaders often point to the length of time required to change attitudes and policies toward female troops. Even in developed countries, such
as New Zealand, decades of action were required to address cultural and
institutional barriers. In addition to removing the obstacles, incentives may
be required to bring women into armed forces. Currently, there is inadequate marketing to potential female recruits by member-state militaries.
Although DPKO is beginning to address this problem, the agency historically did not specify the job requirements for posts in peace operations,
which might attract more women. Furthermore, there are few family duty
options for military personnel, which can limit women’s ability to deploy.
Overall, a massive lack of training and understanding in this area persists,
particularly with regard to the link between women’s roles and the multidimensional needs of peace operations and development. Documenting best
practices is a useful first step, and several emerged from the New York and
Washington meetings.
• In early 2006, there were zero women among Pakistani peacekeepers
(9,820). Yet by November 2006, the government appointed one observer
and interviewed six more in one month alone. In addition, 35 women had
enrolled in the military academy, contributing to a class of 250 future officers. Officials attribute these advancements to systematic change spurred
by the president and other leaders across sectors in Pakistan, including the
armed forces. Key policy changes were enacted, such as targeted recruitment strategies, family postings, and other incentives for women.17
• Following three years of negotiations between DPKO and the government
of India, a newly formed all-female police unit with 125 members
deployed from Bombay to Liberia by ship on December 10, 2006. Their
numbers will increase women’s representation to 6.6 percent in the
Liberia peacekeeping mission.18
6
• New Zealand reported that including women on patrols has proven beneficial to the success of the mission.
• Member states have found military-to-military dialogues to be particularly
useful in understanding and promoting women’s operational effectiveness.
Based on these experiences and in-depth discussions, participants recommended the following steps to increase women’s participation as military
personnel in UN peace operations:
1. Specify the operational components of field missions that can be best
addressed by female personnel. This should become a standard component of the United Nations’ call for troops and definition of the operational needs of peacekeeping missions.
2. Address the logistical challenges of women’s participation in peace operations. Ensure that separate quarters are provided and that women’s
health, equipment, and general needs are met.
3. Develop and disseminate national action plans on Security Council
Resolution 1325 that specifically address female recruitment and deployment for peace operations through actionable measures and enforcement
mechanisms. DPKO should actively encourage troop-contributing countries to take such measures.
A massive lack
of training and
understanding
in this area
persists....
4. Institute standards and a timeline for troop-contributing states to increase
women’s recruitment. Consider providing financial incentives to member
states that include women in troop deployments. The United Nations
might offer increased compensation to the entire military unit when
women are well represented.
5. Jointly design ad campaigns and recruitment strategies that target
women. DPKO and member states can pool resources to maximize their
efforts to attract women into the armed forces. Women leaders in the military and police should be consulted and involved in the campaign.
6. Specifically target the recruitment of women for more flexible mission
assignments and “episodic needs.” Consider short-term or alternative
options for the deployment of female troops that allows increased flexibility. Ensure these programs are conducted in tandem with mechanisms
for continuity with the mission’s needs.19
7. Increase gender awareness in peace operations training facilities worldwide. Map the individual training facilities, academies, and institutes that
prepare troops and police for peace operations. Examine the situation of
women in these programs and their strengths, challenges, gaps, and entry
points. “Train the trainers” to create a body of educated, gender-sensitive
peace operations trainers.
7
Civilian Police
As the needs and mandates of post-Cold War peace operations diversified,
police have become a necessary force in field missions. Although they initially served as advisers, monitors, or trainers, police now act as “armed law
enforcement officers with full executive authority” in many cases, often in
partnership with peacekeeping troops.20 The United Nations has begun taking steps to establish a Standing Police Capacity as a means to enhance the
role of police in peace operations, numbering 8,482 as of November 2006.21
Female police
reportedly had
a better rapport
with the
community—
both men and
women—and
were more
effective at such
tasks as crowd
control....
Although the United Nations requests police deployment from member states,
the recruitment and deployment process is different from that of the military,
and it varies by country. In Canada, for example, there is a national police
force, whereby entire units may be deployed for peace operations. In contrast,
the police in the United States are decentralized, and deployment for peacekeeping relies on the work of private contractors to recruit individual volunteers. As of November 2006, the top five police-contributing countries
included Jordan (894), Bangladesh (788), Pakistan (511), Nepal (484), and
Senegal (467).22
At the March 2006 gathering of member states, various best practices were
presented as well as examples of women’s operational effectiveness in field
missions, as noted in the previous section. Female police reportedly had a
better rapport with the community—both men and women—and were
more effective at such tasks as crowd control, where the techniques of
women were more effective at calming large groups than the often more
aggressive tactics of their male counterparts. Perhaps more importantly,
these women often served as role models for the transition states. In Sierra
Leone, for instance, female police peacekeepers encouraged the recruitment
of local women into the new national police force and offered initial assistance to the new officers. Consequently, the local female police “performed
extremely well alongside their male counterparts in all functions, including
investigating cases and patrolling,” according to the community and their
fellow male officers, as reported by the assistant inspector general of police
from Sierra Leone.23
Yet women make up just 4 percent of peacekeeping police. There are numerous reasons for the shortage of female police officers in peace operations, and
many constraints parallel those of the military discussed above. To counter
such obstacles, specifically for police, experts recommend the following:
1. Reformulate job descriptions to require women’s presence as police.
Outline why women are needed for a specific mission. This highlights their
operational effectiveness while also assuring women of their role and
defining their value, perhaps making the post more attractive for them.
2. Include women in the developing Standing Police Capacity. Ensure that
the principles of Resolution 1325 are reiterated in the mandate and activities of the new force. Offer encouragement and incentives to member
8
states that put women’s names forward among their personnel contributions to the Standing Police Capacity.
3. Expand police recruitment, particularly in member states with decentralized forces. Because such recruitment is often conducted through police
retirement agencies and other ad hoc structures, officers tend to be older,
nonactive duty personnel who lack experience in war zones. Recruitment
efforts must be more systematic, and opportunities should be broadly circulated through state and local police employment boards. In addition,
young people in secondary school and universities should be made aware
of the available jobs, skills, and prospects in peace operations.
4. Consider creative forms of recruitment for women. Examine and promote the full range of roles that women can play in peace operations, and
seek women with particular skills, such as languages, engineering, medical assistance, or civil affairs. Tap into female police networks at the
national and regional level.
Recruitment
efforts must be
more systematic....
5. Establish a network of policewomen deployed to peace operations.
Utilize the network to strengthen women’s connections and mentoring in
the field. Gather information on the specific logistical needs of women in
order to make the posts more attractive to female candidates and thereby enhance recruitment.
6. Conduct research on the optimal modes of deployment for female police.
Determine if it is more effective to recruit women into all-female units or
integrate them throughout peacekeeping police forces.
International Civilian Staff
In addition to military personnel and police, thousands of international
civilian staff serve in UN missions. They are recruited through one-month
publicized vacancy announcements and apply through an online system
called Galaxy.24 Internally, human resource staff and relevant managers
select three candidates from the pool of applicants, and DPKO attempts to
favor existing employees and women. Arguments are made for each candidate until a final decision is reached. While some agencies maintain rosters
of candidates, such as the Department of Political Affairs (DPA), these may
or may not focus on women.
In one year, DPKO receives approximately 350,000 applications for civilian
peace operations staff.25 Despite this plethora of candidates, only 4,568 persons were deployed to peacekeeping missions as of November 2006, and
2,000 positions remain unfilled.26 Professional posts in the United Nations
range from P-1 (entry level) through P-5 (senior level), and beyond that director posts include D-1 and D-2. Anything more senior, such as special representatives of the secretary-general, are appointed through the Secretariat’s
closed process discussed above. While women make up 30 percent of international staff in peacekeeping operations, they are highly concentrated in the
9
most junior positions.27 For example, at the P-2 level, which is generally
administrative, women make up 42.8 percent of staff.28 However, women fill
only 24.4 percent of P-5 positions and only 7.7 percent of D-2 positions in
peacekeeping missions.29
While women
make up
30 percent of
international
staff in
peacekeeping
operations,
they are highly
concentrated
in the most
junior positions.
Some attribute the declining numbers of women to a lack of interest or ability to leave families for extended field postings in hazardous conditions. Thus
more junior women may be leaving the system before they have the opportunity to advance. Others note problems with the Galaxy online system and
women’s access to this process from rural areas or developing countries.
With an average of 600 résumés for each Galaxy opening, adequate screening is impossible, and the hiring process may take more than one year.30 Some
practitioners point to the need for geographic balance as a factor in recruitment, which may favor countries that are less represented in the UN system.
Member states also continue to recommend men for vacancies, and cultural
and institutional impediments persist despite mandates for gender balance.
There is generally little accountability within the United Nations for senior
managers to recruit and hire women, and resistance to even discussing this
issue still exists in some departments. On the other hand, when positions are
“held” for women, some male colleagues become infuriated. The danger
with reserved posts for women is that they can appear as tokens and face
additional layers of scrutiny that men do not encounter.
A growing awareness of the constraints for women candidates has led to
some progress at DPKO in recent months and years. The agency is now
attempting to expand its outreach and proactively recruit women candidates. A broader understanding of the need for gender sensitivity among all
DPKO personnel led to a change in the criteria of leadership job descriptions to read:
• Professionalism: Commitment to implementing gender equality by ensuring the equal participation and full involvement of women and men in all
aspects of peace operations.
• (P-5 and above) Leadership: Demonstrated ability to provide leadership and
take responsibility for incorporating gender perspective into substantive
work; commitment to the goal of achieving gender balance in staffing.31
Based on the ongoing challenges and gaps in women’s presence as international civilian staff, participants in New York and Washington recommended the following:
1. Expand recruitment. Increase coordination between DPKO and the UN
Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) to ensure that vacancies are
widely distributed to women’s networks. In order to enhance operational
effectiveness, recruit women with relevant cultural backgrounds or linguistic skills to serve in specific missions (e.g., Jordanian women for the
mission in Lebanon).
10
2. Review and revise job descriptions and criteria. Use language that recognizes and encourages women’s skills and expertise. Consider prioritizing
overall experience rather than rigid education or other requirements.
3. Ensure that gender sensitivity is included in leadership training. The
Senior Leadership Section—the new DPKO unit responsible for filling
high-level positions—must include the UN commitments and mandates
for gender balance in peacekeeping as an integral part of its management
training in Sweden.
4. Take steps to ensure that field missions are more attractive to women.
Consider recruiting women for short-term deployment (three to six
months), and draw on the UN Volunteers program to bring in candidates.
Classify the DPKO posting as a family duty station, as is the policy in the
field missions of other UN agencies.
5. Improve management accountability. Publicize the gender-disaggregated
personnel figures for departments and units. Institute a gender “score
card” for senior managers that includes progress on gender balance in
their offices.
6. Undertake a review of the Galaxy system. Consider privatization for
improved quality control and timeliness.
7. Increase the availability of data on peacekeeping personnel. Publicize age
and sex-disaggregated data on Galaxy applicants and peace operations
staff.
8. Continue civil society advocacy for gender balance. Build the argument
based on women’s effectiveness. Emphasize the need for gender sensitivity among leaders—both men and women. Recall the existing language
and mandates for gender balance and urge accountability.
National Civilian Staff
Senior
Leadership
Section...must
include the UN
commitments
and mandates
for gender
balance in
peacekeeping
as an integral
part of its
management
training....
There is a distinct recruitment and hiring practice for national civilian
staff—those individuals serving the mission who are residing in the host
country—that generally occurs at the mission level. When the mission is
established and throughout its existence, national advertisements of
vacancies are placed in local newspapers, on job boards, and in other
public locations. At the time of publication, few details about the advertisement process are known, and it is unclear if and how women are
specifically recruited for mission posts. Thus, although policies and procedures on hiring women are clear, implementation is not monitored in a
systematic way.
Numbers of local staff range from less than 50 in smaller missions to 2,000
or more in larger operations such as those in the Democratic Republic of the
Congo (MONUC) and Kosovo (UNMIK).32 Women comprise 22 percent of
11
the 8,657 local staff employed in peacekeeping missions as of June
2006.33 However, there is some concern that women are frequently relegated to administrative or service positions. In some cases, men in a host
country are more likely to fill the job qualifications, such as the ability to
drive an all-terrain vehicle or higher education requirements. In other
cases, women who are hired reportedly assume duties far beyond their
administrative position, yet they remain classified and paid at the more
junior level.
To address these challenges, experts recommend action in several areas:
There is some
concern that
women are
frequently
relegated to
administrative
or service
positions.
1. Expand and coordinate recruitment. Develop a roster of national organizations and interest groups that can circulate peacekeeping vacancy
advertisements. Engage domestic corporations and other organizations to
temporarily second talented individuals. Utilize television, print, and
radio media to broaden the circulation of job postings.
2. Creatively access, recruit, and hire women. Work with other international organizations, civil society groups, the business community, national
women’s offices, women’s networks, and other local partners to identify
and approach qualified women. Encourage national women’s offices to
formulate country rosters of qualified female candidates, and reach out
to professional women in the diaspora. Consider affirmative action steps
at the mission level and recruit women into nontraditional roles, such as
security guards.
3. Ensure that mid- and senior-level management of peacekeeping missions
is aware of the gender balance requirements. Provide trainings for these
leaders at the mission’s creation to ensure a gender perspective in the
design of the mission and throughout peacekeeping activities.
4. Support the UN Department of Public Information’s 60 field offices to
conduct annual trainings on peacekeeping recruitment. This agency’s
decentralized structure can assist in broadcasting vacancy announcements and explaining the recruitment and hiring process to potential candidates. Holding an annual “how to access UN jobs” training that
includes male and female participants is a practical way to raise awareness of peacekeeping opportunities for members of the host country.34
5. Gather and publicize relevant data. In order to recruit and retain women
effectively, more information is needed on the existing numbers of female
local staff, their roles, their hiring levels, the requirements for promotion,
and other factors.
Moving Forward
To close the New York meeting, lunch speaker Jane Holl Lute, DPKO’s
assistant secretary-general for Mission Support, agreed with participants
that the agency is falling short when it comes to gender balance. Her
12
response: “Send me women.” Lute outlined three parallel actions that must
be taken for women to be “endogenized” within DPKO:
1. Increase the number of women in political, social, and economic positions in host countries and in the key processes of the mission. This
makes a compelling case for women peacekeepers.
2. Infuse a gender perspective and gender awareness into post-conflict
processes across the board.
3. Increase women in senior-level positions of peacekeeping.
Assistant Secretary-General Lute described ongoing efforts by the peacekeeping agency to elevate the role of women in field missions and at headquarters, noting that “a bureaucratic approach is by no means trivial.” At
the time of publication of this report, for example, the General Assembly
was preparing to address the recommendations of the secretary-general with
regard to human resources reform in the United Nations.35 Relevant suggestions included such critical steps as revising the process that defines field
postings as “family duty” or “non-family duty” stations—a decision that
seriously impacts the ability and willingness for women to apply, in many
cases. According to Lute, “peacekeeping relies on the peak-contributing
professional years” of men and women, and the agency must be able to
attract these individuals.
Lute’s comments and the discussions among experts throughout the meetings highlight several trends. First, there is increased awareness of the mandates for gender balance in UN staffing. There is also growing recognition
of the operational effectiveness of women, particularly in military and
police roles in peace operations. At the same time, the willingness to act is
on the rise among key policymakers and practitioners. Yet many still have
questions as to how to act, given the need for rapid decision making, the
presence of competing priorities, and the hazardous environment of peacekeeping missions.
Holding an
annual “how to
access UN jobs”
training that
includes male
and female
participants is a
practical way to
raise awareness
of peacekeeping
opportunities for
members of the
host country.
Nearly all working groups expressed a need for more targeted recruitment
of women, as well as networking opportunities for those currently serving
in peace operations. In addition, postings should be made more attractive to
women and their logistical needs considered as part of mission design and
operational activities. Various participants reiterated the importance of a
gender perspective in peacekeeping and that both men and women can play
a role to further gender awareness. It was also noted that recommendations
in this report will benefit recruitment of qualified women and men to peace
operations with the ultimate goal of making future operations more effective and successful. Across the board, experts and practitioners are requesting additional information. Significant desk and field-based research is
required to move this agenda forward from sex-disaggregated data to best
practices for recruitment to examples of operational effectiveness.
13
Notes
1
For more information on the surge, see “United Nations Military, Police
Deployment Reaches All-Time High in October,” United Nations Press Release,
PKO/152, November 10, 2006, http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs/2006/pko
152.doc.htm; UN Peacekeeping Operations Surge 2006 (New York: United
Nations, 2006) http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/surge2006.pdf.
2
For a recent example, see the 2005 General Assembly resolution: Improvement
of the Status of Women in the United Nations System, A/Res/59/164 (New York:
United Nations, 2005) http://www.un.org/Depts/dhl/resguide/r59.htm.
3
“Peacekeeping
relies on
the peakcontributing
professional
years” of men
and women,
and the agency
must be able to
attract these
individuals.
The package is available online at http://pbpu.unlb.org/pbpu/genderpack/GRP
/Testframe.htm.
4
The missions with gender advisers include Afghanistan (UNAMA), Burundi
(ONUMB), Côte d’Ivoire (UNOCI), Democratic Republic of the Congo
(MONUC), Haiti (MINUSTAH), Kosovo (UNMIK), Liberia (UNMIL), Sierra
Leone (UNAMSIL), Sudan (UNMIS), Timor-Leste (UNOTIL). The missions with
gender focal points include Cyprus (UNFICYP), Ethiopia and Eritrea (UNMEE),
Georgia (UNOMIG), Middle East (UNTSO), Syrian Golan Heights (UNDOF),
and Western Sahara (MINURSO). Source: Gender and UN Peacekeeping
Operations (New York: United Nations, 2005) http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko
/gender/index.htm.
5
For more information, see DPKO Policy Directive—Gender Equality in UN
Peacekeeping Operations, available at http://pbpu.unlb.org/pbpu/library
/REVISED%20POLICY%20DIRECTIVE%2006%20NOV%202006.pdf.
6
For more information, see Global Action Plan on Security Council Resolution
1325—Women, Peace and Security, available at http://pbpu.unlb.org/pbpu/library
/Action%20Plan%20Brocure%20(sep%202006).pdf.
7
For example, see the UK National Action Plan to Implement, UNSCR1325,
available at http://www.fco.gov.uk/Files/kfile/ActionPlanForUKWG.pdf.
8
Troop and police figures are current as of November 2006; civilian staff figures
are current as of June 2006. Contributors to United Nations Peacekeeping
Operations—Monthly Summary of Contributions (Military Observers, Police,
and Troops), as of November 30, 2006 (New York: United Nations, 2006)
http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/dpko/contributors/2006/nov06_1.pdf; Gender
Distribution by Post Category, as of June 30, 2006 (New York: United Nations
Department of Peacekeeping Operations, 2006); June 2006 Report to the
Secretary-General on the Current Status of Gender Appointments at the
Professional Level and Above by Grade in UN Peacekeeping Missions (New
York: United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations, 2006); United
Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations Fact Sheet (New York: United
Nations, 2006) http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/factsheet.pdf.
9
10
United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations Fact Sheet.
For a list of discussion questions for each working group, see Appendix 1.
11
In 2005, Canadian Carolyn McAskie was the SRSG in Burundi (ONUB), and
Swiss Heidi Tagliavini was the SRSG in Georgia (UNOMIG).
12
Administrative Instruction: Special Measures for the Achievement of Gender
Equality, ST/AI/1999/9 (New York: United Nations, 1999) http://www.un.org
/womenwatch/asp/user/list.asp?ParentID=80.
13
For more information, see the final report: Policy Dialogue to Review Strategies
for Enhancing Gender Balance Among Uniformed Personnel in Peacekeeping
14
Missions, Final Report, March 28-29, 2006 (New York: United Nations, 2006)
http://www.un.org/womenwatch/ianwge/taskforces/wps/Final%20Report%20TCC
%20PCC%20Policy%20Dialouge%20_English_.pdf. A background paper was
also prepared for the event: Background Paper: Enhancing the Operational
Impact of Peacekeeping Operations—Gender Balance in Military and Police
Services Deployed to UN Peacekeeping Missions (New York: United Nations,
2006) http://www.peacewomen.org/resources/Peacekeeping/DPKO
/women_in_peacekeeping.pdf.
14
Policy Dialogue to Review Strategies for Enhancing Gender Balance Among
Uniformed Personnel in Peacekeeping Missions, Final Report 3, New York,
March 28-29, 2006.
15
Contributors to United Nations Peacekeeping Operations—Monthly Summary
of Contributions (Military Observers, Police, and Troops) as of November 30,
2006 (New York: United Nations, 2006) http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/dpko
/contributors/2006/nov06_1.pdf.
16
United Nations Department of Peacekeeping Operations Fact Sheet.
17
This information was reported by participants in the New York meeting and
troop statistics published in the United Nations Department of Peacekeeping
Operations Fact Sheet.
18
This information was reported by participants in the New York meeting.
19
This suggestion emerged during the keynote presentation by Assistant SecretaryGeneral Jane Holl Lute and the subsequent discussion at the New York meeting.
She expressed particular enthusiasm for the idea that women can fill “episodic
needs,” noting this is an unexplored area that could be a real entry point for
women.
20
For more information on the expanding role of police, particularly US involvement, see William Lewis, Edward Marks, and Robert Perito. Enhancing
International Civilian Police in Peace Operations (Washington, DC: United States
Institute of Peace, 2002) http://www.usip.org/pubs/specialreports/sr85.pdf.
21
For information on the Standing Police Capacity, see Report of the Special
Committee on Peacekeeping Operations and its Working Group at the 2006
Substantive Session, New York, February 27-March 17, 2006, A/60/19 (New
York: United Nations, 2006) http://www.un.org/womenwatch/ianwge/taskforces/wps/N0628026.pdf; Contributors to United Nations Peacekeeping
Operations—Monthly Summary of Contributions (Military Observers, Police,
and Troops), as of November 30, 2006.
Recommendations
in this report
will benefit
recruitment of
qualified women
and men to peace
operations with
the ultimate goal
of making future
operations more
effective and
successful.
22
Contributors to United Nations Peacekeeping Operations—Monthly Summary
of Contributions (Military Observers, Police, and Troops), as of November 30,
2006.
23
Policy Dialogue to Review Strategies for Enhancing Gender Balance Among
Uniformed Personnel in Peacekeeping Missions, Final Report 10, New York,
March 28-29, 2006.
24
Galaxy is online at http://jobs.un.org.
25
The number of applications was reported by Assistant Secretary-General Jane
Holl Lute in her presentation at the New York meeting.
26
27
Gender Distribution by Post Category, as of June 30, 2006.
Gender Distribution by Post Category, as of June 30, 2006.
28
June 2006 Report to the Secretary-General on the Current Status of Gender
Appointments at the Professional Level and Above by Grade in UN Peacekeeping
Missions.
15
29
June 2006 Report to the Secretary-General on the Current Status of Gender
Appointments at the Professional Level and Above by Grade in UN Peacekeeping
Missions.
30
These statements were made in the working group discussion on international
civilian staff at the New York meeting.
31
These statements were made in the working group discussion on international
civilian staff at the New York meeting.
32
33
Gender Distribution by Post Category, as of June 30, 2006.
Gender Distribution by Post Category, as of June 30, 2006.
34
For more information on DPI’s field offices and activities, see http://www.un
.org/aroundworld/unics/english/about.htm.
35
Investing in People: Report of the Secretary-General, A/61/255; Addendum:
Reforming the Field Service Category: Investing in Meeting the Human Resources
Requirements of United Nations Peace Operations in the Twenty-First Century,
A/61/255/Add.1 (New York: United Nations, 2006) http://www.un.org/ga/61/documentation/list.shtml.
16
Appendix 1
Working Group Discussion Questions
Overall
1. What is the current process for general recruitment (including women) to
this category of peace operations personnel? Key actors? Advertisement
and access? Recruitment criteria? Specific outreach to women, if any?
2. What are the key constraints, problems, and challenges that must be
addressed to increase women’s participation in this category of peace
operations staff? Political, institutional, economic, educational, sociocultural, others?
3. What are the entry points and opportunities?
4. Who is currently focusing on this specific issue (the topic of the working
group)—within the UN system, member states, and civil society? Has
there been recent progress in this area? New research, structures, policies,
activities?
5. What are the immediate next steps to advance the agenda for this specific category of female personnel in peace operations? What are the necessary long-term, systemic actions? Specific new or reformed structures,
mandates, practices, enforcement mechanisms?
Heads of Mission
1. How can women in “feeder positions” be supported to move into more
senior positions? What types of professional development and mentoring
mechanisms are in place or needed?
2. What rosters currently exist? How can they be coordinated? Can rosters
be effective? How can they be better utilized?
3. How can the appointment process for senior-level political positions be
more transparent? Are other changes needed in the selection process?
4. Where should interested parties look for qualified female candidates who
could become heads of mission? Directors of international NGOs?
Former high-level government officials (e.g., foreign ministers)? Senior
level appointees within the UN system?
Military Personnel
1. Which countries are effectively encouraging women’s participation as
military personnel in peacekeeping operations? Are there models that can
be replicated or disseminated?
17
2. What is needed to attract women to peacekeeping missions (e.g., designation as “family duty” assignments, funded home visits, separate facilities and equipment, specific training, sex-segregated units, etc.)?
3. How can member states be held accountable to gender balance requirements in troop deployment? What incentives can be offered to encourage
recruitment of female troops?
Civilian Police
1. Which countries are effectively encouraging women’s participation as
civilian police in peacekeeping operations? Are there models that can be
replicated or disseminated?
2. How can member states be held accountable to gender balance requirements in police selection and deployment? What incentives can be offered
to the governments and/or contracting agencies to encourage recruitment
of female police?
3. As the discussion emerges to increase the civilian police component of
peace operations, how can women’s recruitment be placed at the top of
the agenda?
International Civilian Staff
1. How are positions currently classified? Can job descriptions and criteria
be adjusted to encourage the wider range of expertise that is required for
multidimensional peace operations, including issues and concerns related
to women and gender?
2. How is the current system of advertising and recruitment of international civilian staff working for women candidates? How can it be improved?
3. How should positions be advertised to ensure that women worldwide are
aware of opportunities and can access and complete the application
process?
National Civilian Staff
1. How should positions be advertised nationally to ensure that women in
the country are aware of opportunities?
2. What support is needed to establish a working environment that attracts
in-country women (e.g., childcare, recruitment through community
organizations, etc.)?
3. How can women’s expertise be harnessed for mission positions beyond
the most common assignments—clerical, administrative, janitorial, or
service?
18
Working Group Participants
November 14, 2006 – New York
Facilitators
Heads of Mission
Aparna Mehrotra, Focal Point for Women, UN Department of Economic
and Social Affairs
Military Personnel
Agnes Marcaillou, Principal Officer and Chief, Regional Disarmament
Branch, UN Department for Disarmament Affairs
Civilian Police
Annette Lyth, Program Manager, UN Development Fund for Women
International Civilian Staff
Kanchan Paser, Research Assistant, Gender Focal Point, UN Department of
Political Affairs
National Civilian Staff
Kate Burns, Senior Humanitarian Affairs Officer and Gender Adviser,
Policy Development and Studies Branch, UN Office for the Coordination of
Humanitarian Affairs
Rapporteur
Camille Pampell Conaway, Consultant, Women, Peace, and Security
Participants
Muhammad Asim, Military Adviser, Mission of the Islamic Republic of
Pakistan to the United Nations
Jean-Luc Bories, Programme Officer, Office of Emergency Programmes,
United Nations Children’s Fund
Elizabeth Brady, Major, US Army; Military Assistant, Military Staff
Committee, United States Mission to the United Nations
Ina Jamuna Breuer, Executive Director, Project on Justice in Times of Transition
Kyisha Brooks, Research, Femmes Africa Solidarté, New York Office
Paula Claycomb, Chief, Landmines and Small Arms, United Nations
Children’s Fund
19
Carol Cohn, Director, Boston Consortium on Gender, Security, and Human
Rights
Marilyn Dawson, Social Affairs Officer, UN Office of the Focal Point for
Women
Patricia DeGennaro, Associate Professor of International Affairs, Center for
Global Affairs, New York University
Adama Diop, Coordinator, Femmes Africa Solidarté, New York Office
Raluca Eddon, State of the World’s Children Research Team, Global Policy
Section, Department of Policy and Planning, United Nations Children’s
Fund
Kathy Gockel, Program Officer, The Stanley Foundation
Marlina Gotama, Administrative Management Officer, Office of Mission
Support, Logistics Services Division, UN Department of Peacekeeping
Operations
Nancy Haaz, Intern, UN Refugee Agency
Zoe Hunter, Graduate Student, The Elliott School of International Affairs
Ramina Johal, Senior Coordinator, Participation and Protection Program,
Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children
Milkah Kihunah, UN Representative, Women’s International League for
Peace and Freedom
Shari Klugman, Senior Administrative Officer, Office of the Chief,
Personnel Management and Support, UN Department of Peacekeeping
Operations
Michael Kraig, Director, Policy Analysis and Dialogue, The Stanley
Foundation
Leslie S. Lebl, Principal, Lebl Associates
Jodi Liss, Division of Communications, United Nations Children’s Fund
Wendy Luers, President, The Foundation for a Civil Society
Jane Holl Lute, Assistant Secretary-General, Office of Mission Support, UN
Department of Peacekeeping Operations
Christina Madden, Intern, Middle Powers Initiative, Global Security
Institute
20
Mike Millar, Counsellor and Military Adviser, New Zealand Mission to the
United Nations
Eleanor Pavey, Consultant
Carlos Peralta, Information Technology Officer, UN Police Division, UN
Department of Peacekeeping Operations
Olivier Poulin, First Secretary, Financial and Military Affairs, Permanent
Mission of Canada to the United Nations
Catherine Rolland, Chief, Recruitment and Outreach Unit, UN Department
of Peacekeeping Operations
Meredith Reid Sarkees, President, Global Women’s Leadership in
International Security and Research Fellow, American University
Denise Scotto, Attorney-at-Law and Policy Advisor
Jolynn Shoemaker, Executive Director, Women in International Security
Birna Thorarinsdottir, Women in International Security Scholar; Executive
Director, UNIFEM Iceland National Committee
Kristen Timothy, Consultant, CKL Associates, International Development
Consultants
Gina Torry, Coordinator, NGO Working Group on Women, Peace, and
Security
Carina Van Vliet, Associate Political Affairs Officer, Regional Disarmament
Branch, UN Department for Disarmament Affairs
Natalia Zakharova, Social Affairs Officer, Office of the Special Adviser on
Gender Issues and the Advancement of Women, UN Department of
Economic and Social Affairs
The Stanley Foundation Staff
A. Natasha Wilson, Program Associate, The Stanley Foundation
Affiliations are listed for identification purposes only. Participants attended as individuals
rather than as representatives of their governments or organizations.
21
Working Group Participants
November 16, 2006 – Washington, DC
Facilitators
Heads of Mission
Sanam Anderlini, Consultant
Military Personnel
Jonathan Morgenstein, Program Officer, United States Institute of Peace
Civilian Police
Sarah W. Farnsworth, Deputy Director, Advocacy and Administration, The
Initiative for Inclusive Security
International Civilian Staff
Johanna Mendelson-Forman, Member, Advisory Council, Women in
International Security; Senior Associate, Center for Strategic and
International Studies; Advisor to the Special Representative of the SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations in Haiti
National Civilian Staff
Kristin Haffert, Senior Program Manager, Women’s Political Participation,
National Democratic Institute for International Affairs
Rapporteur
Camille Pampell Conaway, Consultant, Women, Peace, and Security
Participants
Pamela Aall, President, Women in International Security; Vice President for
Education, United States Institute of Peace
Clare Belcher, Development and Publications Coordinator, Women in
International Security
Betty Bigombe, Jennings Randolph Senior Fellow, United States Institute of
Peace
Erin Blankenship, Fellow, Physicians for Social Responsibility
Daniel de Torres, Policy Associate, The Initiative for Inclusive Security
Deborah DeYoung, National Information Officer, UN Information Centre
Jennifer Douglas, Independent Consultant
22
Caroline Earle, Research Staff Member, Institute for Defense Analyses
Laura Falcao, Intern, Office of International Women’s Issues, US
Department of State
Kathy Gockel, Program Officer, The Stanley Foundation
Juliet Hunt, Outreach Specialist, Office of Conflict Management and
Mitigation, Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Conflict,
US Agency for International Development
Zoe Hunter, Graduate Student, Elliott School of International Affairs
Michael Kraig, Director, Policy Analysis and Dialogue, The Stanley
Foundation
Katherine Magraw, Director, Peace and Security Funders Group
Anne Moisan, Senior Research Fellow, Institute for National Strategic
Studies, National Defense University
Joyce Neu, Director, Joan B. Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice, University
of San Diego
Sima Osdoby, Consultant
Georgina Petrosky, Program Associate, The Project on Leadership and
Building State Capacity, The Woodrow Wilson International Center for
Scholars
Patrick Rosenow, Political Department, Embassy of the Federal Republic of
Germany to the United States
Dhurata Sadiku, Women in International Security Scholar
Jolynn Shoemaker, Executive Director, Women in International Security
Julia V. Taft, International Authority on Humanitarian and Post-Conflict
Policy and Practice
Birna Thorarinsdottir, Women in International Security Scholar; Executive
Director, UNIFEM Iceland National Committee
The Stanley Foundation Staff
A. Natasha Wilson, Program Associate, The Stanley Foundation
Affiliations are listed for identification purposes only. Participants attended as individuals
rather than as representatives of their governments or organizations.
23
The Stanley Foundation
The Stanley Foundation brings fresh voices and original ideas to debates on global and regional problems. It is a nonpartisan, private operating foundation that focuses primarily on peace and security
issues and advocates principled multilateralism. The foundation’s concept of principled multilateralism means working respectfully across differences to create fair, just, and lasting solutions.
The Stanley Foundation’s work recognizes the essential roles of the policy community, media professionals, and the involved public in building sustainable peace. Its work aims to connect people
from different backgrounds, often producing clarifying insights and innovative solutions.
The foundation frequently works collaboratively with other organizations. It does not make grants.
Stanley Foundation reports, publications, programs, and a wealth of other information are available
on the Web at www.stanleyfoundation.org.
The Stanley Foundation
209 Iowa Avenue
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563-264-1500
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info@stanleyfoundation.org
Women in International Security
Women in International Security (WIIS) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization
dedicated to increasing the influence of women in foreign and defense affairs by raising their numbers and visibility, while enhancing dialogue on international security issues. WIIS offers a comprehensive set of programs designed to foster and promote women in all fields related to
international security, and in a variety of sectors.
Today WIIS has more than 1,300 members—women and men—in more than 35 countries from
academia, think tanks, the diplomatic corps, the intelligence community, the military, government,
nongovernmental organizations, international organizations, the media, and the private sector.
Members work on and are interested in diverse issues affecting international security, ranging from
nonproliferation of weapons of mass destruction to terrorism, human rights, sustainable development, environmental security, and conflict resolution.
WIIS is a part of the Center for Peace and Security Studies (CPASS), in the Edmund A. Walsh
School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University. The School of Foreign Service is the oldest and
largest school of international affairs in the United States. CPASS, which encompasses WIIS and
the internationally renowned Security Studies Program, is Georgetown’s organizational home for
teaching, research, events, and publications in international peace and security studies.
24